1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-passage rotor coupling and more particularly to a multi-passage rotor coupling having relatively rotatable members which include substantially linear surfaces and which is relatively economical to manufacture and easy to assemble.
Multi-passage rotor coupling are well known in the art and generally include a body having a cylindrical bore and a cylindrical rotor member which is located within the cylindrical bore of the body and rotatable relative thereto. Both the body and the rotor member have a plurality of passages therein and sealing means are provided for sealing the various passageways as they pass from the body to the rotor member. Many of the sealing means in the prior art require complicated structures which are difficult to assemble between the body and the rotor member. Such constructions increase the cost and complexity of the known multi-passage rotor coupling.
2. Prior Art
The Payne U.S. Pat. No. 2,877,026 discloses a typical prior art construction of a multi-passage rotor coupling wherein both the body of the coupling member and the rotor member have discontinuous surfaces thereon for locating the various seals in the device. Nickles, U.S. Pat. No. 2,590,787, Carleton, U.S. Pat. No. 2,458,343, and Bard, U.S. Pat. No. 2,343,491 all disclose various plural passage rotor coupling wherein substantially linear surfaces are disposed between the bore and body member. However, such constructions lead to relatively complicated seal assemblies which are difficult and costly to assemble.